1. Field
Embodiments relate to an image forming apparatus having a transfer device transferring developing agents from a plurality of developing units to paper, and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, for example, a laser printer, a digital copier, or a multi-function apparatus, refers to an apparatus which radiates light to photoconductors charged with a designated electric potential to form electrostatic latent images on the outer surfaces of the photoconductors, supplies toners, i.e., developing agents, to the electrostatic latent images to form visible images, and transfers and fixes the visible images to a printing medium to print the images.
A color image forming apparatus includes a plurality of photoconductors converting electrostatic latent images into visible images through developing agents, a transfer belt to which the visible images formed by the plurality of photoconductors are transferred, a transfer belt driving motor to rotate the transfer belt, and a plurality of transfer rollers pressing the transfer belt toward the photoconductors and causing the transfer belt to come into contact with the photoconductors so as to transfer the visible images on the photoconductors to the transfer belt.
If the transfer belt in the rotating state contacts the photoconductors when one or more transfer rollers press the transfer belt so as to achieve contact between the transfer belt and the photoconductors, the transfer belt, the transfer rollers, and the photoconductors may be damaged, and a printed matter may be contaminated due to triboelectrification caused by contact between the transfer belt in the rotating state and the photoconductors.